How do I clone my SSD to a boot-only NVMe?

[Seanzky]

So I've been going back and forth between getting an NVMe just to try it. I currently use an 850 EVO 500GB as my boot drive and a 4TB as my scratch drive, but the SSD is slowly running out of space. It's starting to look like I have to buy another SSD to install all my games in and keep all other applications on the boot SSD... or I can get an NVMe and make it my boot drive and keep the games in the SSD. But how do I clone my SSD to the NVMe if the NVMe is boot only for my motherboard? If I bought one and installed it on my motherboard, would I still be able to access it as a regular drive so I can clone to it even if it's boot-only???

 

Any help is appreciated!

EDIT: This is the motherboard I have: http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Fatal1ty Z270 Gaming K4/index.asp#Specification

[baconxmaster]

23 minutes ago, Seanzky said:

So I've been going back and forth between getting an NVMe just to try it. I currently use an 850 EVO 500GB as my boot drive and a 4TB as my scratch drive, but the SSD is slowly running out of space. It's starting to look like I have to buy another SSD to install all my games in and keep all other applications on the boot SSD... or I can get an NVMe and make it my boot drive and keep the games in the SSD. But how do I clone my SSD to the NVMe if the NVMe is boot only for my motherboard? If I bought one and installed it on my motherboard, would I still be able to access it as a regular drive so I can clone to it even if it's boot-only???

 

Any help is appreciated!

jay did a vid on coping drives and it works for any drive. so like an ssd to hdd or m.2 to 2.5in ssd

[Seanzky]

I haven't seen that video but I've cloned drives many times before. The only problem this time is that the M.2 slot on my motherboard for NVMe use is boot-only. If I buy one and put it in there, wouldn't that force me to reinstall the OS onto it? Surely it wouldn't let me boot to my SSD as normal and then let me use that NVMe drive as a regular storage so that I can then clone the SSD to it?

[agent_x007]

Quote

*If M2_1 is occupied by a SATA-type M.2 device, SATA_5 will be disabled.
If M2_2 is occupied by a SATA-type M.2 device, SATA_0 will be disabled.
Supports ASRock U.2 Kit

**Supports Intel® Optane™ Technology
Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks

This means it ALSO supports booting from M.2.
Not that it ONLY supports booting.
There is no way in hell, there are "boot only", and "data only", M.2 slots
Remember that you will lose SATA ports when M.2 slot is used.

[Seanzky]

41 minutes ago, agent_x007 said:

This means it ALSO supports booting from M.2.
Not that it ONLY supports booting.
There is no way in hell, there are "boot only", and "data only", M.2 slots
Remember that you will lose SATA ports when M.2 slot is used.

Ooooh!!! Thanks for clarifying! I'm well aware I'll lose SATA ports when I use M.2 slots, but I only have 2 hard drives in there and don't really need anymore since I have 18TB of NAS. Thanks again! I don't know why that never crossed my mind.